I got the galley for J.M. Hirsch's High Flavor, Low Labor cookbook about a month ago. And I have been cooking from it since. That is significant for many reasons: I get a ton of cookbooks to review and usually end up cooking maybe one recipe from each, if at all. And for me to go back to a book repeatedly is very rare. Another one, I go back to again and again is Jaden Hair's Steamy Kitchen. Anyway, the reason this book has been a favorite is that the author is true to his title: the flavors in his recipes are simple superb and they dont require an arm and a leg and 76 hours to cook the recipes.
The recipes, my fav one is pasted here, are all easy yet very inventive like turkey, leek and gouda white pizza, curried haddock with coconut milk, doro wat chicken and some glorious smoky spicy grilled corn.
This is a must have book! The publishers of the book have generously given me three copies to give away. To win, leave a comment there about what your best weeknight cooking trick is! Winners will be chosen using a random number generator and will be announced Sept 1st 2010.
My fav recipe - chicken tenders with a ZING!
Photo of chicken for my website was taken by the amazing Sala Kannan.
North African grilled Chicken
Adapted from J.M. Hirsch's High Flavor, Low Labor ( Random House, 2010 )
After searching the spice cabinet for dinner inspiration one
day, I tossed a bunch of seasonings in a bowl with some olive oil, dredged some
chicken through it, then threw it on the grill. it was so good my son and i ate
the entire pound of chicken.
Too bad I hadn’t been smart enough to write down what I did.
It took me about twelve attempts to re‐create just the right blend of
seasonings, the combination of which is reminiscent of North African cooking.
Lesson learned—I no longer experiment without taking notes.
This chicken also can be cooked under the broiler. Arrange
the meat on a baking sheet, then broil it on the center rack for about 5
minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through.
1⁄2 tablespoon ground cumin
1⁄2 tablespoon ground coriander
1⁄2 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1⁄2 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
11⁄2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
In a large, dry skillet over medium heat, combine the cumin,
coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, mustard powder, and salt. Toast the
seasonings, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until aromatic.
Transfer the spices to a plate to cool. Once they have
cooled, transfer the mixture to a zip‐close plastic bag. Add the olive oil,
seal the bag, and gently shake and knead the seasonings until they are well
blended with the oil. Add the chicken, close the bag, and shake until well
coated.
Coat the grill grate with oil or cooking spray. Heat the
grill on high.
Grill the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until the
meat reaches 165°F on an instant‐read thermometer.
∞∞How long? 30 minutes ∞∞How much? 4 servings